Ever wake up and feel... meh? Not quite sad, not quite happy. Just flat. Disconnected. Numb or overwhelmed. Especially as women move through midlife, these moments can become more frequent, lingering quietly in the background of our days. You might be raising teens, navigating career shifts, managing aging parents—or simply wondering, "Where did Igo in all of this?"

If that resonates, you’re not alone. And you're not broken. You're likely experiencing the very real effects of nervous system dysregulation—and the good news? There’s a powerful map to help you come home to yourself again: Polyvagal Theory. 

Before we dive in, take this short quiz to discover which nervous system state you may be spending the most time in—Ventral Vagal, Sympathetic, or Dorsal Vagal.

👉 Click here to Take the Quiz: What State Are You Living In? 

The Polyvagal Pathway: Understanding Your Three Nervous System States

Developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, Polyvagal Theory helps us understand how our body responds to stress and connection. It reveals three main states we shift between every day:

1. Ventral Vagal – The State of Connection and Magic
   When you’re here, you feel open, safe, curious, grounded, joyful. You’re in your body. You’re engaged with life. This is where your creativity lives, where relationships feel nourishing, where the world feels full of possibility.
2. Sympathetic – The State of Mobilization
   Think go-go-go. Fight or flight. Anxiety, irritability, restlessness. You might feel wired, overwhelmed, or like you can’t shut off. You’re constantly doing—but not always feeling. Over time, this can lead to burnout.
3. Dorsal Vagal – The State of Shutdown
   This is the freeze state. You might feel numb, hopeless, checked out. It’s not laziness—it’s your body protecting itself. In this state, everything feels too much, so your system pulls away from the world to survive. 

Why Midlife Can Trigger a Nervous System Shift

Hormonal changes. Identity shifts. Caretaking roles. Loss of purpose. Cultural invisibility. As we enter our 40s and beyond, our nervous system is often managing way more than it ever did before. But why does this shift feel so intense in midlife? Because the very systems that once kept us feeling stable—routine, roles, hormones, social identity—begin to break down or shift dramatically. Estrogen and progesterone, for example, play a key role in regulating mood and stress responses, and their fluctuation during perimenopause can leave the nervous system more sensitive and reactive.

Additionally, when our roles as mothers, partners, or professionals evolve, we may lose the external structure that once gave us direction or validation. If our nervous system never learned how to regulate through connection, rest, or self-attunement, we may fall into survival states: fight, flight, or freeze.

Without tools for regulation or a deeper relationship with our body, we can get stuck in sympathetic overdrive—or dorsal collapse. This stuckness is what many women call the meh years. You're not broken. You're just dysregulated. And there's a way back.

Coming Home to the Body: Why Somatic Healing Matters

We can’t mindset our way back to magic. We have to feel our way there. Somatic practices—like breathwork, movement, yoga, and nervous system tracking—help us gently reconnect with our body’s cues. They tell us:

• When to rest
• When to move
• When to express
• When to say no
• When it’s safe to soften

Somatic healing teaches us that regulation isn’t about always feeling calm—it’s about feeling like yourself again.

Simple Somatic Practices to Regulate Your Nervous System

• Orienting – Slowly look around your space and name five things you see. This simple act helps signal safety to your nervous system and brings you into the present moment.

• Voo Sound – Take a deep breath in, and on the exhale, make a deep “vooooo” sound, like a foghorn. Repeat 3–5 times. This activates the vagus nerve and helps move you toward a ventral state.

• Butterfly Hug – Cross your arms over your chest, so each hand rests on the opposite shoulder. Gently tap left and right, alternating. This bilateral stimulation soothes the nervous system.

• Grounding Touch – Place one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. Feel the warmth of your hands and notice your breath. This sends calming signals of connection and presence.

• Shake It Out – Stand up and shake your arms, legs, hips—like you’re shaking off tension or stress. Let yourself move freely, even for 30 seconds. This helps discharge stress energy.

These micro-movements might seem small, but over time they help your body feel safe, present, and empowered again.

A New Way Forward

Inside our community, we offer monthly live calls with experts in human design, breathwork, somatics, yoga, meditation, feng shui and more. These aren’t just feel-good sessions—they’re practical, embodied ways to move from meh to magic. To be held. To remember. To come alive.

Your nervous system isn’t the problem—it’s your guide. And with the right support, you can rebuild a relationship with your body that feels empowering, not overwhelming.

Let’s make this chapter the most connected one yet.

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